Fortune
by Drakon Lass
Summary: A young mousemaid is watching a vermin ship when she is captured. She begins on an adventure that will change her life... (I wrote this a LONG time ago, so it may not be very good.)
1. The Chase

Canna ran through the torrid heath, perused by a four score of vermin. She had been secretly watching a vermin ship about three hours ago when she was spotted. She was giving them a hard time at her swift pace. She felt her legs turn to lead as she stumbled through the heath. The vermin were gaining on her. As she hastened her pace the vermin did as well. She finally fell from exhaustion. The vermin closed in on her and tied her up. She was in no condition to object at the moment. She felt dazed and fell over as the vermin were tying her up.   
  
When she came-to she was in shackles, chained to an oar. Obviously she had been made into an oar slave. Smiling to herself she thought how stupid those vermin were. She had been in that situation many a time before. Sailing the seas and spying would make you more liable to get caught, doncha know. Mostly when this happened she would be able to bribe the slave driver, steal the key, or something of that sort. Her thoughts were interrupted by a crack of a whip.   
"Git ta work, ya scurvy mouse!" A big, ugly sea rat glared at Canna. The poor, timid dormouse beside here coward as far away from the rat as possible. The rat looked at the mouse in disgust. You could tell he loathed the sight of the little dormouse. The rat gave one more nasty snarl and wandered off. Canna felt sorry for the mouse and promised herself that when she had gotten free she would free the mouse as well. Canna fell deep in thought about how to get out. The rat came by them again and frowned. "Still refuse to row, eh?" He whipped out at Canna and the mouse. Canna felt a stinging and looked at the tears in the little mouse's eyes. The sea rat gave a horribly satisfied grin. "That ought to git you moving!" He swaggered off laughing and chortling. Canna started to row and she growled as fur on her back bristled. She once again growled through her clenched teeth to herself.   
"Promised to free this poor dormouse... and now I'm vowing to repay your hospitality."   
  



	2. The Dibbun

Over the course of the gradually turning weeks Canna's spirits began to break. Maybe these vermin aren't so stupid. Canna had never forgotten her promise and vow, though. She had gotten to know the dormouse beside her. Magnolia was the mouse's name. Magnolia became gaunt and Canna lanky (Not a bad thing at all for you bally hares, wot!).   
  
Many weeks later a dibbun was brought down to the galley, kicking and screaming. All of the oar slaves watched curiously, including Canna, at the feisty dibbun hedgehog.   
"Wot are you all staring at?" An overseer gave the oar slaves a dirty look. The slaves jerked their heads down and started rowing quickly. They finally got the dibbun chained to an oar, of course not without lots of trouble. The ferret overseer that was on duty smiled, relieved. He licked his lips, thinking of the wonderful wine he and all the overseers would get with the captain for such a good job. After an hour a gong, well, gonged. The ferret slave driver stopped numb, then rushed up the stairs to the deck. Wine was on the mind all the while. After the overseer left, the dibbun hedgehog sniffed, looked around a-matter-of-factly at all the beasts, plucked one of his quills out, as if performing a magic show, and undid the lock on his manacles. He lifted the chains off, rubbed his wrists, and walked up the isle nonchalantly. "Wait!" Magnolia strangled out. "Wait for us!" Magnolia struggled with her chains, but her attempts were in vain. The hedgehog looked inquiringly at Magnolia then just stood there. He seemed to be arguing with himself whether to help the others. He stuck his bottom lip out and then slurped it back in. Canna's eyes sparkled. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a semi-stale candied chestnut. She whistled. The hedgehog's eyes darted over to Canna's candied chestnut. It was decided.   
  



	3. The Escape

The dibbun hedgehog skillfully picked the locks on all   
the slaves' shackles. It sure took a while though. He led   
the procession of slaves to the door. Then an idea came   
into the little hedgehog's mind. There should be more   
chestnuts where that came from. When the line of slaves   
got to the door, the hedgehog slammed the door. There was   
a gasp from the slaves.   
"Mo' chesknutters an' me move 'ways from th' do!"   
Canna shook her head.   
"I have no more candied chestnuts, sorry." A shrew   
jumped out of the crowd.   
"Look what you've done, you stupid hedgepig! The door is   
locked!" The hedgehog, whose name was Kiref, smacked a   
paw across his mouth and muttered.   
"Oops..." The shrew threw his paws up in the air.   
"Now how are we going to get out?!"   
"Me pick de lock... Me get log un doed..."   
"You can't!" Raged the shrew "It's a deadbolt!"   
  
  
All the slaves feverishly tried to get the door open.   
They were all unsuccessful. The banging of foot steps was   
heard.   
"Hurry! Everybeast, hide!" Many of the oar slaves   
hid under the benches. Kiref hid in a barrel. Now, Canna   
had a plan. She went behind the door as the rest of the   
wretched oar slaves hid. The doorknob jiggled. All the   
oar slaves heard as the overseer unlocked the door. Then,   
the heavy oak door swung open, almost smashing Canna.   
Canna pushed the door back and it swung into the slave   
master's face, knocking him out.   
"Yes!" A cry rose from the oar slaves.  
"We must make haste! For sure, some more will be down   
soon."  
Magnolia looked in admiration at Canna.   
"Thank you. Thank you…" Next, the dibbun hedgehog   
waddled up to Canna.   
"Mesa thanks you, too!" The hedgehog then looked   
down. "But me mommy and da are gone."  
"Maybe we can find them soon. I'll help you."  
"Weally?" Canna smiled. "Of course."   
  



End file.
